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Morrissey parts ways with record label

Less than a month after the release of his first studio album in five years, Morrissey and Capitol/Harvest Records officially severed their relationship.

Morrissey's fansite published a statement back on August 9, 2014 announcing he was no longer with his label. It read, "Three weeks after the release of Morrissey's "World Peace is None Of Your Business," Capitol Records/Harvest have ended their relationship with Morrissey, as directed by label boss Steve Barnett. Morrissey is once again in search of a record label."
The split with the label came just days after Morrissey published a post which seemingly criticized Capitol/Harvest's handling of his album release, while at the same time praising three fans who had created "well-crafted" videos of tracks from his record.

"These videos fully understand the intent of the song, and I am relieved that these films exist," he wrote. "Yes, a similar document ought to have been harvested by the record label, but please understand that the pop or rock industry can be as dedicated to perpetuating public deception as the world of politics itself. God bless social media!"

The 55-year-old singer may no longer have a label, but he's back in the news for announcing a Dublin date for December 1 at the newly-named 3Arena. It will be his first show in Ireland since 2011 and will come just days after his London show at the O2 Arena on November 29th.

Both dates follow a major tour across the U.S. earlier this year, and will precede a wider European tour – so get your Morrissey tickets now.

Health issues plague Morrissey (Updated 9/27/13)

Health scares have plagued Morrissey for the better part of 2013. Trouble started all the way back in January, when he was diagnosed with a bleeding ulcer and several dates on his North American tour had to be rescheduled. Unfortunately, that was only the beginning of his medical complications.

In March, Morrissey was hospitalized again, this time with pneumonia in both lungs. One week later, it was announced that the rest of his tour had been canceled. This allowed him some much-needed rehab time in Ireland, where he reportedly watched the country's soccer team during his recovery.

Music finally became the business at hand again for Morrissey when EMI reissued the single "The Last of the Famous International Playboys" on April 8. It was backed by three new songs, "People Are the Same Everywhere," "Action Is My Middle Name," and "The Kid's a Looker," all recorded live back in 2011.

Unfortunately, Morrissey's run of bad luck continued when he was forced to cancel the remaining dates of a South African tour. Those dates had already been postponed when the singer suffered severe food poisoning, and he released a sobering statement saying, "The future is suddenly absent … cancellations and illness have sucked the life out of all of us, and the only sensible solution seems to be the art of doing nothing."

One bit of good news came when the concert film "Morrissey 25: Live" hit theaters in August to celebrate his 25 years as a solo artist. It came a month before his autobiography was pulled from shelves at the last minute following a disagreement with the publisher.

Morrissey a stirring figure in pop culture (Updated January 10, 2013)

From his days as a shy, awkward teenager to the furor over his dark, cynical lyrics and political views, Steven Patrick Morrissey rose to prominence in the 1980s and has been called "one of the most singular figures in Western popular culture from the last twenty years."

Known today only by the surname Morrissey, the singer is oft recognized for his 1950's quiff – a hairstyle that combines the pompadour, flattop and mowhawk. It's a style he's perfected since fronting a band called The Nosebleeds in the 1970's, then partnering with guitarist Johnny Marr before helping to form The Smiths in the early 80's. The band's debut single "Hand in Glove" was filled with references to homosexuality, and due to its lyrics made them an underground sensation in the U.K.
Morrissey continued to attract media attention with outrageous statements, criticism of the British Prime Minister and his advocacy of vegetarianism. The Smiths' eponymous debut album was a smash hit, the follow-up "Meat is Murder" caused quite a stir, and the 1986 LP "The Queen is Dead" was critically acclaimed. But it wasn't long before friction caused the breakup of the band and Morrissey began a solo career.

Though Morrissey initially achieved plenty of success with his solo venture behind the album, "Viva Hate," his star faded in the U.K. when it took him three years to release another record. Still, his glory days were far from over. Morrissey's buzz in the U.S. reached a fever pitch with the release of hard-rocking, glammed-up record "Your Arsenal" was released, and he's been a touring attraction ever since.

Morrissey spent nearly all of 2012 on the road, with his tour starting in South America and continuing through Asia and North America. He has 32 cities on the books for 2013, beginning in Greenvale, NY on January 9 and ending in Portland, Oregon on March 8. Kristeen Young will open, and Patti Smith and her band will be special guests at the Staples Center concert in Los Angeles.

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News

November 06, 2014

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